When this guide helps
Use this guide if any of these situations sound familiar:
- You have a task to automate and want to know whether the volume justifies the cost.
- You have a setup quote or subscription price and want to compare it with doing the work manually.
- You already have an automation, but the original estimate left out review and repair time.
Start with monthly volume and time per task. The calculator separates staff time, one-time setup, and subscriptions. Download the result with its assumptions so you can see what the estimate depends on.
What you can leave with
Compare the cost of doing the task manually with setting up and running an automation. Start with how often the task occurs and the minutes it takes; add a software quote later. Without it, you get a partial estimate, not a final saving.
Open the template or tool ↓Before you begin
Estimate the number of repeated tasks in a normal and busy month, minutes per task, and the value of an hour of work. If upkeep time is uncertain, compare two estimates. Technical units and software quotes are in the calculator’s expandable sections.
Cost calculator
One task might be copying an inquiry from email into a spreadsheet. The example uses 100 tasks normally, 150 in the busiest month, and four manual minutes per task. Automation still needs half a minute of checking per inquiry and two hours of monthly upkeep. Replace these estimates with your own. Calculations use the busiest month and stay in your browser.
What to use and what it costs
Separate subscriptions, staff time and one-time setup. The lowest-priced plan may not cover your volume or access needs; freed time is not necessarily money saved. The calculator on this page keeps those components separate.
| Tool and when it fits | Price and conditions |
|---|---|
| Make Free ↗ No new subscription if all scenarios together fit the limits. | USD 0 · 1,000 credits per month. 2 active scenarios; scheduled checks at intervals of 15 minutes or longer. Usage is shared across the plan. Source and terms |
| Make Core · 10k ↗ Enter the monthly rate or the full USD 108 annual payment in the model. | USD 9/month billed annually (USD 108/year), or USD 10.59 billed monthly. Selected capacity: 10,000 credits/month. Connected apps, taxes and extra usage are outside this total. Source and terms |
| n8n Cloud Starter ↗ Enter EUR 240 as the annual plan amount; keep other services separate. | EUR 20/month billed annually; EUR 240/year. 2,500 executions/month and one shared project. Counts runs, not Make credits; add applicable tax. Source and terms |
Prices and terms checked September 27, 2026, in the currency shown by the vendor. Quotes may vary by country; confirm your currency, tax and commitment before buying. Example budgets exclude any additional tax.
Budget for this job
One-currency model: at USD 25/hour, 100 tasks × 4 manual minutes cost USD 166.67/month. Half a minute of review per task, 2 hours of upkeep and Make Core at USD 10.59 total USD 81.42/month. Three setup hours cost USD 75. The USD 85.24 difference values estimated time; it is not measured savings. For 12 identical months: USD 2,000 manual versus about USD 1,052 automated including setup, excluding other apps and tax.
Use the numbers for your own work
0 / 4Check off steps as you finish them. Progress stays in this browser; reset it below when you start again.
What to keep on record
Save task volumes, time estimates, prices, and pricing dates with the result. When a cost or volume changes, you will know which assumption to update.
What can go wrong
An hour freed does not necessarily reduce payroll or another cash expense. Read the result as a comparison of cost and capacity under your assumptions, not guaranteed extra money.
How to check it works
Try a less favorable case with fewer tasks and more review or repair time. If the advantage disappears after a small change, start smaller and improve the estimates.
Where to start today
Model one repeated task using your last typical month. Keep unknown items marked as unknown and establish them before purchasing.
Sources
- help.make.comDocumentation checked: 2026-09-27.
- n8n.ioDocumentation checked: 2026-09-27.